The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for the random division and sampling of granular or powder bulk solids, and more particularly to an apparatus for the random representative division and sampling of a large quantity of a bulk solid.
In conducting research on coal and other bulk solids it is important to use representative samples having identical properties. Prior to the present invention the division or splitting of large quantities of bulk solids was done by hand and required an extensive amount of manpower. Commercial rifflers for laboratory use were either unable to provide the capacity required for dividing large quantities of bulk solids, could not provide the appropriate number of representative samples, or could not handle a wide range of particle sizes.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a quick and consistent means to divide bulk solids of various particle sizes and quantities into a number of representative samples.
It is another object of the invention to provide a means to collect representative samples of a bulk solid of varying particle sizes and quantities.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention.